The Darkness Within
by Naitouk
Summary: Akane has always been a strong, resilient young woman, but can she recover from this horrible act? This story isn't what you think it is ...
1. Prologue

The inspiration for this story comes from two amazing stories written over the years, one of which can be found here on this site. I grew up with these amazing characters, and although I love the comedy aspects of the story, The Darkness Within places our beloved characters in serious, unfamiliar territory. Although the premise is not original, the implementation is. If you enjoy this short introduction, please take a moment to let me know by leaving some feedback.

* * *

PROLOGUE

A loud crash ripped through the night sky. The bright flash that preceded it seemed to light up the world with a puissant luminescence that could rival the sun. It revealed, to the naked eye, a seemingly endless supply of minions in flight, their momentum interrupted by rooftops, cars, lamp posts, Koi ponds, and other objects upon which they incessantly pounded. Electrical storms such as this have been looked to as common sources of dread for small children and the vulnerable, but it is undeniable that these awesome forces of nature carry more than dread and destruction along with them. As a result of their attack, a great cleansing is also brought upon the land. It washes away the stains that threaten to obliterate the delicate balance that exists naturally in nature. By destroying, it also creates and nourishes.

The short-haired teenager turned over roughly as she pushed the covers down from over her head revealing puffy, tear-stained cheeks. With a heavy sigh, she sat up in the bed and dangled her feet over the side. She was out of tears: she could simply no longer cry. Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately) for her, sleep would just not come this night. At least the nightmares would not be able to reach her. Although at several times earlier in the evening slumber seemed to be painfully close to overtaking her, the realm of dreams would then turn and fade away into nothingness leaving the girl wide awake to contemplate the unjust nature of the world.

_Could she make it through this night?_

She stood up slowly and with extreme care, her hand instinctively grabbing hold of her desk. She dare not trust herself right now in her current state of mind and body, better to hold onto something incase her legs gave out from under her. Pushing aside the curtains that covered the windows, Akane Tendo cast her eyes out into the storm that raged on outside of the household. Fierce as it was, it could not compare with the storm that raged within her ravaged soul.

After several minutes had passed, she reached up shakily and opened the window. At first, the cold night breeze was all that slipped in through the small opening of the window. A fraction of a second later, the storm reached out its arms and forced the windows wide open against the inner walls of the home. The loud crash echoed throughout the home. Akane, startled as she was by this sudden turn of events, suddenly found herself on the ground, her legs twisted awkwardly beneath her.

Unable to bring herself to move, rainwater continued to pour into her room from the open window claiming hold over everything in its path. Akane remained still as the rain soaked her nightgown, then moments later, began to penetrate the fabric and soak her body. Although little strength remained within her, she began to sob quietly at first, but as the seconds passed, her sobs became increasingly violent. She wretched, fighting to hold the meager content of her stomach from coming back up. Tears streamed from the young girl's eyes, but they were quickly swallowed up by rain as it pounded upon her already drenched body.

_Suddenly, she was no longer alone._

Akane found herself encircled by a pair of strong yet tender arms that almost instantly became softer and shorter as she continued to cry. The concept of time was lost to her, and minutes seem to pass by like seconds as she lay there. Tears eventually ceased, but the protective arms around her remained. As her eyes finally managed to close, she succeeded in finding a semblance of what had eluded her all evening: her center. Although the symphony of the storm continued to rage all around her, all of the sounds were dwarfed by the gentle yet firm heartbeat.

As Akane drifted off to sleep, a small droplet slipped from the eye of her protector. Although she was the one being comforted, her soul was not alone in its torment on this night. A small piglet slowly made its way from beneath Akane's bed and sat down beside her. It looked up slowly to meet the eyes of the tiny red-head whose arms were protectively wrapped around Akane. The quizzical expression on the piglet's face quickly changed to anger.

Although her tone was barely louder than a whisper, there was an unfamiliar coldness that chilled Ryoga to his piglet core. Something was not right.

"Go away."


	2. Chapter 1: The Shadow Bind

Chapter One: The Shadow Bind

Hello everyone! Thanks for sticking with me and returning to read the first chapter of The Darkness Within. This chapter ended up being a bit shorter than I had planned, but due to some changes in my outline, it was unavoidable. As you read this and future chapters, please keep in mind the note in the story's summary: things aren't always as they seem. I hope you enjoy this first chapter! Please let me know what you think!

* * *

_**… Earlier that day …**_

The Blue Thunder of Furinkan high school stood at the ready, his _bokken_ poised to strike some imaginary foe. Before him stood a sizeable number of the Kendo club, their gazes following his every movement. All of the team members hoped to learn what they could from the Rising Star of the Kendo world and those who trained beneath him; however, few were judged worthy to be trained directly by the mighty Tatewaki Kuno.

"I have instructed you better than that!" he shouted out in absolute disgust. "Observe me once again, and then practice until you have successfully executed it!"

As he scanned the group of his "best" disciples, his thoughts turned to more philosophical matters. With his graduation on the horizon, he pondered the legacy he would leave behind. If those who trained closely beneath his watchful eye could not master such a basic strike, there would be little hope for them when he was gone. Without a doubt in his mind, Tatewaki knew that he was the team, and without him, there would be little hope for Furinkan in the Kendo world.

His thoughts then turned to the loves of his life: the fiery and vibrant pigtailed girl who, through no fault of her own, was beholden to the vile sorcerer known as Ranma Saotome. The pain she must have endured at his hands during the unmentionable dark rituals ventured into the realm of the unthinkable. Such crimes must not only be punished, but punished with the omnipotent vengeance of the heavens. The pigtailed girl must be avenged.

Sighing heavily at the profoundness of his thoughts, Tatewaki Kuno's hand slipped into the folds of his _uwagi_ and withdrew a small photo. As his eyes retreated from the useless Kendoists that stood before him, they fixated on the small picture of his first love, Akane Tendo. Her story was a true tragedy: being forced to live beneath the same roof as Ranma Saotome. Although his efforts to free her from such an unacceptable and undesirable living situation have thus far been futile, he would not be deterred in his efforts to succeed in the future. He would rescue her before the chains of darkness that enslaved his pigtailed goddess would be extended to her.

"Don't let my little sister see you with that, Kuno baby," sneered the brown haired girl who had walked up beside him.

"Nabiki Tendo," his voice full of obvious disgust, "How does your family reconcile its honor by living in the same dwelling as the evil Ranma Saotome?"

If his words had any effect on her, it was immediately hidden by the unreadable expression that so often hung about her features while she walked the halls of Furinkan. Nabiki Tendo did not get mad, she simply got even.

"Akane would be pretty upset if she saw you with that," she responded with a smirk.

"But why, Nabiki Tendo? You'll notice that I keep it close to my heart as a constant reminder of our most pure love, and of my pledge."

"Pledge?" Pushing the expression of great disgust from her face, she glanced quizzically at him.

"Why yes," he began as he nonchalantly ran his fingertips through his hair, "my pledge to free my love from the clutches of Ranma Saotome before he casts his dark spells upon her as he has the pigtailed one."

Several members of the Kendo team had stopped their constant _bokken_ swinging and tried to conceal the fact that they were trying to "overhear" to the conversation occurring between their master and the infamous Ice Queen, Nabiki Tendo.

"Oh. You mean the whole body and soul belonging to Ranma thing?" Nabiki could almost feel the anger beginning to radiate from Kuno's body as the words carelessly rolled from her tongue. She knew exactly which buttons to push. Men and their "honor." So predictable!

Kuno's grip tightened around the hilt of his _bokken_.

"Kuno baby," she began, her voice gradually softening as she continued, "I don't know how to tell you this," she continued, inserting a dramatic pause in her words to observe the darkening expression on the crazed Kendoist's face. As the pause grew longer and longer, the Blue Thunder simply stared at her, his eyes blazing.

"Akane's heart, soul," she paused a moment as if considering something, "and body already belong to Ranma."

Kuno's mouth nearly struck the ground as he processed the information. Nabiki Tendo also lived within the same dwelling as his beloved Akane Tendo and his rival, Ranma Saotome. Having little reason to doubt the authenticity of her words, his grip tightened even more around the hilt of the _bokken_, his knuckles taking on a ghostly white color.

Nabiki slowly began to back away from the fuming Kendoist.

"Students of Furikan High," he nearly screamed, "Hear me now!" All movement in the area seemed to stop as student and teacher alike turned their attention in his direction.

"I, Tatewaki Kuno will NO LONGER accept the crimes committed against the lovely Akane Tendo by that… that," he spat, "creature Ranma Saotome! Aid me in my crusade to defeat him and rescue those he enslaves!"

The silence was interrupted only by the occasional snickering and mumbling.

"Behold my offer to you all. Rescue the beautiful Akane Tendo from the clutches of Ranma Saotome. Bring her to me at my abode where she will remain and be safe. In return, I will offer you not only the protection of our impenetrable walls, but also the promise that you shall never again want for anything!"

It was undeniable that several sets of ears perked up at the last few of Kuno's words. Unfortunately for the Kendoist, the majority of students either broke out into fits of laughter over the absurdity of his words or simply ignored him and went along their way. Several of the _bokken_-wielding men that stood before him concealed their own chuckles.

* * *

Akane gently eased herself onto the soft grass, a gentle sigh escaping her lips as she leaned her back gently against the tree behind her. Today had been quite a trying day. Although she had spent the better part of last week preparing for a Trigonometry exam, she was almost positive she utterly failed the test. She sighed heavily at the realization that the day was only half over. Afternoon classes awaited her, and given the dark cloud cover, she surmised a walk home in the middle of a storm did too.

"Akane!"

Akane looked up at the sound of her name to see Sayuri and Yuka, two girls from her class (and dearest friends), running up to join her for lunch. She managed a gentle smile and motioned for them to sit down beside her. Ranma was nowhere to be seen.

"Hey guys."

Sayuri settled down onto the grass directly across from Akane while Yuka sat down beside her. Yuka stretched her arms out behind her and gently reclined onto them. She glanced over to Sayuri, a look of uncertainty overtaking her features. Moments later, Sayuri idly brushed a strand of loose hair behind her ear and hesitantly opened her mouth, "Akane? Did you hear about Kuno?"

"No. What did he do now?" Akane's eyes instinctively narrowed, the small reserve of patience she had was already expended for the day with her coursework.

"Well, um, Yuka heard that he may have issued another stupid challenge. About you again." The girl frowned.

Akane's hands clenched tightly into fists as her eyes shifted back and forth between the two girls. "What did the idiot say?"

Sayuri turned her head back to Yuka. "Yuka, why don't you tell her what you heard?"

Yuka nodded. "Well, I heard he was going on and on about Ranma again. Something about your body belonging to him."

"WHAT?"

Nodding her head solemnly, Yuka continued, "He said he will make anyone who rescues you from Ranma and brings you to his mansion a very rich person."

"Oh great," color crept into her cheeks as she continued to fume with anger, "Just when I get those perverts to stop attacking me every morning, Kuno does this. As if I don't have enough problems!"

Sayuri momentarily glanced back over her shoulder before offering Akane an apologetic smile, "We're really sorry, Akane. We know how much of a pain all of those morning fights were."

Yuka idly tapped her lips with the tip of her finger as she thought the situation over for a moment. "Can't Ranma help you out again? Maybe he can get Kuno to call all of this off."

"This is MY fight, not Ranma's! Besides, he'll probably just make fun of me or something." Both Sayuri and Yuka noticed the momentary frown that crept across her lips. Yuka scooted closer to Akane and gave her knee a sympathetic pat. "Are things getting any better between you two since the, um, you know?"

If looks could kill, Yuka would have been utterly obliterated by the look bestowed upon her by Sayuri. Akane sighed once again and bit down on her lip.

"I'm sorry Akane," Yuka added in response to the deep sigh, "It was very insensitive of me to ask that."

"No, it's okay. I, " she paused for a moment in a vain attempt to carefully choose her words, "I just don't know. Sometimes I think things are getting better, then he says something that totally messes it up."

Sayuri turned her head around once again to glance at something behind the trio.

"Ouch!" Sayuri shrieked as she twisted away from the fingertip that Yuka had just poked into her side. She leaned in closer to the two girls and whispered nervously, "Look over there." She again turned her head around and discretely indicated a small group boys that were easily recognized as members from the Kendo team. They had amassed not far from where the trio were sitting and were laughing at some shared joke. "I keep feeling their eyes on my back."

Akane looked up from Sayuri's face to see two Kendoists break from the group and begin sprinting over in their direction, their _bokkens_ held at the ready. Given the news she had just learned, she instinctively leaped to her feet and took a battle sance. Akane prepared her body for the combat she felt coming.

_They sure didn't take long._

"Get behind me, guys!" she shouted angrily to the girls who remained seated around her.

Sayuri and Yuka had already began to move behind Akane as the warning to do so left her lips. Akane quietly reminded herself that as a martial artist, her duty was to protect the weak. Having nothing more to go on other than the stupid rumors Yuka had informed her about, she had to at least consider the possibility that these two combatants were there to cause harm to her friends. She could not allow this to happen.

The two boys slowed as they approached the girls, their blades still held at the ready. Akane quickly recognized them upperclassmen who belonged to Kuno's inner circle of Kendoists. Completely unaware of her actions, Akane began to size up the two potential combatants. She noticed that Aito, the boy on the left, seemed to be slightly favoring his right leg. Making a mental note of this, her mind's eye reached out and took note of the other boy. A cold shudder ran through her spine as she recognized him as Shig, one of the Kendo team's best whose skills that were rumored to rival even Kuno himself. Although Kuno was widely regarded as Furinkan's best fighter, Akane knew that Shig could likely defeat him in combat under the right circumstances. This could go bad in a hurry if she was not careful.

"Akane Tendo," Aito began, "at the request of Captain Kuno, we have come to deliver you to the Kuno estate. For your safety, please come with us."

Akane's focus and attention remained fixed upon Shig. Although her eyes had shifted briefly to Aito as he addressed her, she knew the real opponent would be Shig. Her eyes shifted between the two. She hoped for a peaceful solution, but she would never submit to the will of Tatewaki Kuno, especially if it included being 'escorted' to his home in the name of safety. In the absence of Aito and Shig walking away, she was certain that there was only one way this situation could be resolved: through combat.

"Tell Kuno to leave me alone," she responded calmly. Although the anger continued to build within her, she knew this situation would be better dealt with if she remained calm.

Shig slowly lowered his _bokken_ as he spoke, "Ms. Tendo, this is for your own protection. To keep you safe from the one known as Ranma Saotome."

"I'm not in any danger of anything from Ranma!" Anger was clearly beginning to once again creep into her voice. The battle had already mentally begun within her: she fought to maintain control over the rage that threatened to lash out at these two boys who had not yet attacked her.

"I told you she wouldn't listen," Aito smirked as he turned to look at Shig, "We should just take her by force."

"Ha. I'd like to see you try," Akane spat.

Aito's eyes shot back towards the fierce black-haired girl standing before him. As their eyes met, a booming battle cry left his lips as he charged forward towards her, his _bokken_ poised to strike. Shig began to move towards the side in an apparent attempt to join the attack from a different angle: the back.

Although Akane's skills were much less developed than those of Ranma, over the last year she had learned a considerable amount with many opportunities to improve her combat prowess. Her form had tremendously improved since the early days of having to fight her way beyond the school gates each morning. Did these idiots not realize she continued to train with some of the best martial artists not only in Japan, but the world? This fight, if you could call it that, would at least give her an opportunity to blow off some steam.

* * *

Hikaru Gosunkugi crouched low behind a nearby row of bushes and peered through the greenery in an attempt to follow the action taking place just across from his position. As lowly beings go, he was among the lowest, and as his first year in high school was nearing a close, he had little to show for it: no friends, and certainly no girlfriend. To many, he simply existed as that superstitious weird guy that sometimes walked around with a camera. Throughout his life he had been a lonely soul, living on the proverbial fringes of society and keeping very few friends. Clutching the implement held in his hand tightly, he reveled in the fact that today was the day all of that was about to change.

His heart fluttered as he listened to Akane's verbally spar with her challengers. Knowing her combat prowess to be far beyond his meager capabilities, he surmised that the two Kendoists currently engaged in a frontal assault with her stood absolutely no chance.

_The idiots. _

An evil smile formed on Hikaru's face knowing that the timing of his own attempt to capture Akane Tendo had been impeccable. Although Aito and Shig's presence had been a mere happenstance, he uttered a soft prayer of thanks to some _kami_ above. Their attack would afford him the distraction he needed. Although his hands continued to tremble nervously, he remained as still as possible clutching the long tube close to his body.

Aito powerfully swung downwards with his _bokken_ towards Akane who quickly deflected the blow with a high-aimed kick. Using the momentum from her kick, she moved in close to Aito who was reeling backwards from the counter force of her kick against his _bokken_. As her kicking foot landed, she quickly spun around to deliver a blow to his gut with her other foot. The air exploded from Aito's lungs as Akane's attack connected sending him reeling to the ground gasping for air in exquisite pain.

As Akane spun to deliver her kick to Aito, Shig capitalized on the opening and moved in for a disabling strike. Before Akane could pivot to her other leg to deliver a similar blow to her second opponent, Shig's _bokken_ struck roughly against the calf of Akane's leg sending her roughly to the ground. She cried out in obvious in pain, clutching her now injured knee close to her body. Prone on the ground, Akane rolled side to side as her cries of pain grew louder.

Although Shig was utterly convinced of his victory, he held his _bokken_ at the ready, a pompous smile poised to overtake his features as he advanced closer towards Akane. He stopped only when he stood directly above her. Recognizing the situation had become quite dire, Sayuri and Yuka, who had been standing behind Akane quickly made their escape yelling that they would get help.

"Stupid girl," he began, "To think you could defeat me. I don't know what Tatewaki even sees in you."

As Shig prepared to lower himself down to take the writhing Akane into his arms and deliver her to the Kuno mansion, visions of luxuries flashed before his eyes as he considered the sizeable reward waiting for him. Unfortunately for him, as quickly as his mind had acquired such riches, they were robbed from him as Akane's feet suddenly shot upwards towards him impacting roughly with the side of his head. Time seemed to stop for Shig as the brute force of the impact spread excruciating pain throughout his body. He realized his defeat seconds before the world faded away into the darkness of unconsciousness.

Gosunkugi prepared himself to strike as Akane began to rise. He could hear the roughness in her breath as she began to stand up. Reaching down to the small container below, he withdrew the miniscule dart that had been so maliciously prepared for this very moment. Depositing the dart into one end of the tube, he positioned himself at the ready knowing that this was a defining moment in his life. The discrete point where everything would be turned around, where life would stop being so cold and dark and afford to him the happiness that everybody else seemed to have. He drew in a mighty breath then moments later blew with all his strength.

A triumphant fanfare began to blast it's uplifting melody within the confines of Hikaru's mind as the dart soared from the opposite end of the blowgun. His heart nearly stopped as the dart almost instantaneously traveled the distance between him and Akane, striking her directly in the back of the neck almost immediately as she rose to her feet. His aim had been impeccably accurate. All that was left was for him to wait for the fall: although subterfuge had been employed, the mighty (and beautiful) Akane Tendo had been defeated.

* * *

_I wonder how many more of these attacks am I going to have to deal with?_

Akane breathed out heavily as she wearily stood up from the ground, brushing some of the grass from her clothes. The anger deep within her soul began to claw its way forward once again into the light.

_Why was life so unfair?_

The failed wedding had been nothing short of disastrous. Many of those Akane regarded as closest friends had simply ceased, or greatly reduced, all communication with her after the fiasco. Even Ranma had been more distant than usual. If that wasn't enough to stress a girl to the breaking point, this stupid challenge would certainly be enough to. She clenched her hands into fists to the point where her knuckles were white.

_Kuno is going to pay for this._

With reflexes honed by many years of martial arts training, Akane reached behind her neck expecting to snatch the bee that had just stung her from the air. Her powerful fingertips crushed what she expected to be a miniscule creature as she brought it around to her field of view. Much to her horror, what she mistook for a bee was a small dart which was now anointed with her blood. As the realization of her situation overtook her, so did the chemicals that were now coursing through her veins. She had involuntarily blinked at and found that she was unable to open her eyelids. Her legs felt as if they were lined with weights as they buckled precariously under her before she slumped to the ground, her surroundings shrouded behind now closed eyelids. To the casual observer, she looked like a student who had simply fallen asleep; however, she was not asleep. She was painfully aware of the dangerous and compromising nature of her situation.

_No!_

Akane's mind willed her mouth to open wide and scream in both rage and fear, unfortunately, this became an exercise in futility. She could hear the rustling of the bushes she knew to be nearby followed by gentle footsteps and heavy breathing. The aura of great satisfaction that permeated from her unknown attacker was nearly palpable. She imagined Shig or Aito standing up and walking over towards her now prone and unmoving body. The thoughts that followed were even more horrible. Although no one had yet laid their hands upon her, she wailed mentally at the image of her attacker's perverted hands running free over the length of her body. Although she struggled fiercely against the chemicals that robbed her of her mobility, she could not be sure if her body responded at all.

She was taunted by the sound of devilish laughter as the footsteps grew closer and closer. After that seemed like an eternity, she could sense the presence of another as her attacker (or who she assumed was her attacker) must have knelt down beside her. She continued to unsuccessfully struggle with all of her mental might, but her body responded with little more than a slight twitch here and there. Although not idea, she could tell progress was being made. Thanking the _kami_ for small victories, Akane tapped into some unknown reserve of strength and continued to fight with every fiber of her being to regain control over her body before it was too late.

"I'm sorry, Akane. I've had a crush on you for so long, it's hard for me to give you up to Kuno. At least he will be able to keep you safe from Saotome."

_Was that Hikaru Gosunkugi's voice?_

Any self control maintained by Akane was quickly replaced with intense rage: Akane Tendo, heir to the Tendo School of Anything Goes Martial Arts brought to her knees by Hikaru Gosunkugi? This was just not possible! As she continued to push herself to the point of near mental exhaustion in an attempt to regain control over her body, she became more and more aware that she was making serious progress. Although she elicited more and more movement and control over her body, she remained unable to break free of the paralysis and defend herself.

"Before we take you to Kuno," her attacker seemed to pause a moment, "I will steal a kiss. You're unconscious, and nobody will even know, but I will treasure and remember it always."

She continued to struggle against the chemical-induced chains that bound her movements, all the while sensing Hikaru leaning hesitantly closer and closer towards her prone body. The thought of his lips pressing against her repulsed her. Akane continued to fight with every bit of strength available to her, willing her arms and legs to lash out indiscriminately in an attempt to protect her.

Akane could sense Hikaru preparing to move in for the kiss. Using this as a method to push herself even harder, she quickly became keenly aware of the muted sunlight finding its way into her barely exposed eyes. Seconds later, her legs began to kick and flail wildly around her in an unfocused attempt at self-defense. With a gasp of horror, Gosunkugi's head snapped around to see that Akane had regained the use of her legs. Unfortunately for him, he missed the fact that she had also regained control over her hands moments after he turned his attention to her legs.

To the untrained eye, the blow was not different from any other she had previously inflicted upon Aito, Shig, or any of the other of her morning tormenters. As Akane's fist connected with Gosunkugi's cheek, his entire body jerked and twisted in an odd position as it flew backwards through the air a short distance before crumpling to the ground nearby. Leaping quickly to her feet, Akane's attention turned to Aito. Although the defeated combatant still remained laying on the ground, his breathing had become less labored and he began to move as if preparing to standing up.

_Go! Escape while you can!_

Fearing that she had not yet shaken the full effects of the paralysis chemical, Akane decided upon and executed a strategic retreat in the direction of the classroom buildings where she hoped to find Ranma.

* * *

Conversation seemed to be unusually light at supper that evening, yet the lack of speech was more than made up for by the pounding of rain upon the roof of the Tendo household. Akane was, as expected, unusually jumpy after such a trying day and tended to flinch nervously at each crash of thunder that seemed to echo throughout the home. After her encounter with Aito, Shig, and Hikaru, several other foolish students (all male) decided to oblige Kuno in an attempt to inflate their personal wealth. All of their attempts succeeded only in providing Akane with a living and breathing punching bag.

With the exception of Soun Tendo and Genma Saotome, everyone was truly outraged to learn of the attacks Akane had endured earlier that day. When she and Ranma had arrived back home, she had informed the remainder of the family in detail about Aito, Shig, and Hikaru's little visit. Before she could even discuss the other confrontations she had been forced to endure, Soun and Gemna took the opportunity to remind Ranma that as Akane's fiancé, he was obligated to defend Akane's honor. It was obvious that their reminder had fallen upon deaf ears when Ranma proceeded to leave the two men in a crumpled heap on the floor of the dojo.

Ranma was, to put it mildly, not amused by Kuno's latest antics. Already in a particularly sour mood from having to walk home in the rain (and therefore having both become AND remain female), when he had learned of Kuno's new challenge during their walk, he became even more aggravated. Normally he was able to shrug off such things by taking a verbal jab at Akane and questioning who would want such an uncute tomboy; however, even he had to admit that Kuno had raised the stakes this time. Although he'd never admit it, this time he was concerned for her safety.

"Stupid Kuno," Akane sighed heavily as she slammed her chopsticks down onto the table, lowering her eyes. Unnoticed by nearly everyone, a brief look of regret formed over Nabiki's face as Akane spoke.

"Geeze, Akane. It ain't like w-," he caught himself, "you've never had ta deal with Kuno's crap before." Ranma mumbled between a particularly large mouthful of rice.

Much to Ranma's surprise, Akane calmly replied, "It's tiring, you know? Having to fight just to eat your lunch. I'm tired."

Soun and Genma turned their eyes to Ranma.

"Why don'tcha go to bed then?" Ranma responded, oblivious as always to the intricacies of how girls operate.

Rolling her eyes in a rather exaggerated fashion, Nabiki gruffly responded, "She means she's tired of the way things are going, dummy."

"Nabiki, that wasn't a very nice thing to say," Kasumi responded with a frown.

"Uh..um." Ranma floundered, trying to decide what to say in a vain attempt to lighten the mood. He gently drummed his fingertips against each other.

"Ranma," Soun began, his voice full of confidence, "as Akane's fiancé, perhaps you should speak with this Kuno person."

"I don-," Ranma began but was immediately cut off by Akane's loud objection.

"Dad! This is my fight! A martial artist does not run from her battles!"

The sound of ringing suddenly drew everyone's gaze towards the direction of the telephone, the silence of their dinner finally interrupted.

"Oh my. I'll get it." Kasumi cheerily added. Setting her rice bowl and chopsticks down gently upon the table, she quickly rose and made her way to the phone.

"Hello? Tendo residence," she said into the phone. "Yes, they do." Kasumi nodded her head slightly. "Oh dear. Is he alright?"

Ranma stretched his neck out far enough just in time to see the color drain from Kasumi's face. Something was certainly not right.

"Well thank you for letting us know. Alright. I will tell them. Yes. Good night." Kasumi slowly replaced the receiver and stood by the phone for a moment before returning to the table and reseating herself with the family.

"Kasumi? Are you okay?" Akane inquired.

"Akane, Ranma," Kasumi began, her voice strangely lacking its usual confidence, "That was Ms. Hinako from school. It's about your little friend, Hikaru Gosunkugi. He's," she began to choke up for a moment before beginning again, "They found him dead. She said his neck was broken."

Akane's hand shot up over the gaping maw that was her mouth as her eyes instantly swelled with tears. Much to the chagrin of Genma Saotome, the bowl Akane was holding, half filled with rice, tumbled from her hand onto the table in front of her spilling everywhere its contents.

Akane's voice was no louder than a whisper as she uttered, "I … killed him." Five sets of eyes immediately darted in her direction.

Kasumi gently began to respond, "No Akane. It was nobody's fault but his ow-," yet before she could finish, Akane had leaped to her feet and ran off towards her bedroom. Moments later, the echo of a door being slammed blasted through the house leaving those seated at the table dazed.

"Get off your lazy ass and go after her, boy! It's your duty as her fiancé!" Genma spat, glancing dangerously back towards Ranma.

"Shut up pops. She don't want to see anyone right now," he quickly retorted.

Clearing his throat, Soun turned his head in Ranma's direction, "Nonsense, Ranma. You should be there beside her, comforting her in this time of need."

"No, father. I think Ranma's right." Kasumi interjected shakily, "Give her some time to collect her thoughts before you go in there."

Ranma nodded.

"Ranma," Nabiki stuck her finger out directly into his face, "Kasumi's right. But when you do go talk to her, don't be a jerk to her."

Feeling the anger beginning to flow freely through his veins, Ranma leaped to his feet. Tossing a nasty expression in Nabiki's direction, he quickly took off for the sanctity of the dojo.

Soun cocked his head to face Genma. "I knew this storm to be a dark omen," he paused for a moment before continuing solemnly, "I just hope this Gosunkugi boy's fate is not a glimpse of things to come."

Genma simply nodded.


End file.
